Information recording medium and reproducing apparatus therefor

Abstract

An environmental load information of an information recording medium is recorded on the information recording medium so as to recycle or dispose properly an information recording medium, which is not necessary any more. The information recording medium comprises a main information area ( 102 ) for recording or reproducing information and a recording area ( 101 ) for environmental load information, which is recorded with an environmental load information of the information recording medium.

1. An information recording medium comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a recording layer formed on the substrate; 
 a protective layer formed on the recording layer; 
 a main information recording area provided for recording or reproducing main information; and 
 a recording area for environmental load information recorded with environmental load information at least composed of material information related to said information recording medium, 
 wherein said main information recording area and said recording area for environmental load information is formed without overlapping each other, and 
 wherein said material information contains information that indicates a name of material utilized for at least one of the substrate, the protective layer and the recording layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The information recording medium in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said environmental load information is recorded as a letter pattern. 
     
     
       3. The information recording medium in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said material information contains information that indicates names of a plurality of materials. 
     
     
       4. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information recording medium comprising:
 a main information recording area provided for recording or reproducing main information; and 
 a recording area for environmental load information recorded with environmental load information being at least composed of material information related to said information recording medium, 
 said reproducing apparatus at least comprising: 
 a reproducing means for reproducing said environment load information. 
 
     
     
       5. An information recording medium comprising:
 a main information recording area provided for recording or reproducing main information, 
 wherein material information related to said information recording medium is recorded so as to be superimposed on said main information. 
 
     
     
       6. The information recording medium in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said material information is composed of at least one of materials utilized for a substrate, a protective layer and a recording layer. 
     
     
       7. The information recording medium in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said main information is recorded as an array of fine pits, and
 further wherein said material information is recorded by at least a period or an amplitude of a distorted sinusoidal wave form of said array of fine pits. 
 
     
     
       8. A reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information recording medium comprising:
 a main information recording area provided for recording or reproducing main information, 
 wherein material information related to said information recording medium is recorded so as to be superimposed on said main information, 
 said reproducing apparatus at least comprising: 
 a reproducing means for reproducing said material information.